Fast Lane Newsletter

Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE)

The Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE) is for expert-level network design engineers, expert-level network leads of IT infrastructure teams, and expert-level network leads of architecture teams working in job roles that require them to translate business needs, budget, and operational constraints into the design of a converged solution. The CCDE curriculum prepares designers to develop design solutions at the infrastructure level for large customer networks. Network engineers holding an active CCDE certification are recognized for their expert-level knowledge and skills in network infrastructure design. The deep technical networking knowledge that a CCDE brings ensures that they are well qualified to address the most technically challenging network infrastructure design assignments.

Step One: CCDE Written Exam

The 2-hour, written qualification exam covers network design in the areas of routing, tunneling, Quality of Service (QoS), management, cost, capacity, and security. You must pass the written exam before you are eligible to schedule the CCDE practical exam.

Written Exam Information

Schedule and Pay Information for the Written Exam

Revision to CCIE and CCDE Written Exams Retake Policy (effective August 2, 2014)

Step Two: CCDE Practical Exam

The 8-hour practical exam tests your ability to perform design analysis, justify design requirements, and develop a design implementation based on best practices. Only candidates that have a passing score on the CCDE Written Exam may register for the CCDE Practical Exam.

Practical Exam Information

Schedule and Pay Information for the Practical Exam

Revision to CCIE Lab Exams Retake Policy (effective August 2, 2014)

Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites for CCDE. No specific training or other professional certifications are required.

Exams

CCDE Written Exam (352-001 CCDE)

CCDE Practical Exam

Recertification

Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE) certifications are valid for two years. To recertify, pass ONE of the following before the certification expiration date:

Candidates can only apply one passed written exam towards recertification for every two year recertification period. Candidates must wait five calendar days between attempts at the written exam. CCIE and CCDE professionals that do not pass a qualifying exam or lab exam before the recertification deadline will be placed in a suspended status and their employers will be notified. Suspended CCIE and CCDE professionals have one year to pass the required exam or lab before their expert level certification becomes permanently inactive. Inactive CCIE and CCDE professionals lose all benefits and must pass both the CCIE written and lab or CCDE written or practical exams again.

Achieving or recertifying CCDE automatically extends your active Entry, Associate, Professional or other Expert level certification(s), or Specialist certifications. When using a higher level of certification to extend other certifications, the expiration date of other certifications will extend to the expiration date of the higher certification (i.e.: If you have one year left on your CCNA certification and you earn a CCIE certification (which has a two-year certification life) then both your CCIE certification and your CCNA certification will expire two years from the date you achieved the CCIE certification).

Recertification Verification/Deadlines

Your recertification deadline can be viewed online anytime (with login) at Certification Status. Subsequent recertification deadlines are always based on your original certification date, not on when you took your last recertification exam.